Prenatal and childhood origin of an adult disease; The case of breast cancer Gabriel Gulis SDU Esbjerg, Denmark Anna Pakosova Trnava University, Trnava, Slovakia
Breast cancer mortality
Breast cancer morbidity
Major risk factors Hormonal risks (menarche, parity, menopause) Lifestyle (diet, alcohol, smoking, physical exercise) Medications (oral contraceptives, HRT) Genetic predisposition Early life risk factors
birthweight birth length gestational age at birth twin, zygosity age of mother at delivery weight and height of mother in/out of pregnancy birth order
What data are available in Slovakia Presentation of data and data soruces available in Slovakia on early life risk factors Data sources: birthbook birthregistry medical record
Data from Birthbook Birthweight/birthlength twin, zygosity gestational age at birth age of mother at delivery birth order
Data of birth registry Birthweight/birth length twin, zygosity gestational age at birth age of mother at delivery birth order *data from birth registry are available since 1959
Data from Medical record Birthweight/birth length twin, zygosity age of mother at delivery birth order weight/height of mother at different ages age at menarche age at menopause
Data from Medical record Use of oral contraceptives use of hormone contraceptives alcohol smoking
Changes of data sources over time
Description of Slovak study - methodology Prospective, hospital based case-control study Trnava region, Trnava and Skalica district hospitals 3 years, 250 cases and controls Newly diagnosed histologically confirmed cases, if possible at the beginning of treatment Age and region matched controls by frequency matching
Description of Slovak study – practical performance Key collaborators in hospitals are head nurses, good collaboration with heads of oncology departments as well
Possibilities for intervention Based on study we expect to bring new field for breast cancer prevention among adolescents: Increase information campaigns in schools Breast cancer awareness programs, risk factors, determinants Involvment of pediatricians
Summary Work in progress, first experiences Interest of clinicians from hospitals is crucial High willingness of cases to participate Implications for intervention
Acknowledgement: The authors acknowledge a grant number R03 TW of Fogarty Center of NIH, USA which made the study possible